Guidelines To Scale Back Collecting New Issues

The plate block concept is more a joke these days so do not see why most would be interested unless there is more than one number to collect. Most issues only have one plate number for the production life unlike the engraved issues when plates wore out and had to be replaced.

It could be interesting if the USPS get reformed and the new management decides to demonitize the Forever stamps.

I don't think they can demonitize forever stamps legally speaking. It is said that nothing lasts forever. I always thought that the PO would get around the forever deal by a change in the currency.

I have often wondered what might happen if the USPS went back to an annual 'collector' series of lower quantity engraved, perforated, old school gum, old school margin markings stamps. Perhaps five/six issues per year which would, of course, still be legitimate for postal usage. If they were selective about the engraved stamp designs (artwork), and kept the quantity released reasonable (5-10 million?), I think an annual collector series of stamp each year might be a profit center for them.
Don

Perf 10: I like your name (I'm perfeleven!!). I believe that your idea is logical. I have approached it differently. I started to collect U.S. Mint Panes when I moved to the USA from Canada in 1977. (All those who wail that this is an expensive and impractical way to collect can stop reading here -- you're correct, but this is what I enjoy). By 1996 I was getting tired of buying full panes of a lot of trivial and insignificant issues, and I learned that the USPS was earning $168 million/year on postage for which it provided no service, so I quit collecting and turned to other pastimes. I was complete back to 1940 at that time, and like a fool I began to use my collection for postage and parcel post. By this past summer a decrepit spine had deteriorated to the point that I could do nothing that required standing. I then picked up my dormant stamp collection and began the process of replacing what I had used up and catching up on 22 years of panes issued since I stopped. To make the process challenging, I decided to pay only around face value for most panes, going up only for those few issues that were really difficult to find. I have enjoyed all the friends I've made in this process, and have learned how to navigate the huge stamp world to find people with large stocks of stamps who will sell for face if you ask nicely.

Concerning the "dumb stamps" issues that provoked this too-long post, they still irritate me but I still collect them because with age (84) I have mellowed enough to realize that the pleasure of collecting everything and having a complete collection outweighs the irritation of seeing Scooby Doo or popsicles on my stamps. It's like being married; you have to put up with minor irritations to enjoy all the good stuff.